Please HELP!

[jpep]

what kind of things establish a bond between you and your diving buddies.

Did you ever see the movie "The Graduate"? Well, to answer to your question, I'll paraphrase a famous line:

Benjamin, just remember 1 word: "wetsuits"

To put it in perspective, just think of all your research buddies in wet neoprene!

Seriously, look around, there is more than enough information relative to your assignments. Whatever product/marketing strategy you devise, just don't set the MSRP as double the actual manufacturing costs... triple them.

Good Luck!

 

[fisherdvm]

ASK me, and I'll tell you all you need to know about polling, and TROLLING....

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Why not break the marketing mold and market something that can only be bought online (No local store sales). The product should be user serviceable, warrantied for life and be worn either on the Forehead or not depending on personal perference but, most will believe you will die if you either use or don't use the product.

Ok once you have read enough scubaboard to understand all of the sarcasm you are ready.

Sometimes we don't know enough to know what we don't know.

Good luck and welcome to scubaboard.

 

[GLENFWB]

HELP! Please share any diving stories (like good trips, friends met along the way, accidents etc) as well as what kind of things establish a bond between you and your diving buddies. Any other bits of information you would like to share will be helpful. Thanks for your help

Sorry you have been getting lectures and not answers from others so I will take a shot at it. I am new to diving. Only been certified for about 9 months. I have always wanted to dive but like many, LIFE always seemed to get in the way.

Diving has been a pursuit that has now turned in to a passion. The reasons are many,

• The pursuit of a knowledge and skill beyond the normal course of daily life
• The ability to combine a love of the water and nature with a passion/hobby
• A social time with people who share a common love
• Exploring and enjoying places that few dare to venture
• It is just plain ole FUN! and I want to do it as often as I can.

Hope this helps.

 

[Meng_Tze]

.. we are trying to learn as much about ya'll as possible so we can come up with a print ad for a specific product targeting divers!

Right now we are in the research stage which means just information collection and analysis.
What I am trying to find out is basically why diving is so important to you, whether there is a set of shared values among divers and what kind of hierarchy, if any, exists within your community. As a non-diver I would appreciate any input which may help me with my research.

Well, you have come to the 'right place' for research: internet divers, cyber strokes, comrade divers and what not.

Targeting divers and making things sell? Good stuff, cheaply.

Diving to many here is something to do.... excitement, meditation, challenge, boredom and everything in between.

My advise is to go to dive sites/operators in the field.. and ask face to face questions.

 

[CLEAR BLUE]

Welcome to SB. I'm new to diving and originally started to spend more quality time with my husband who is so very into it. It easily becomes an obsession!. Most divers I've met aren't on the fence about it. They love it!!!. I think it is so awesome to be underwater and see things that so many people never get to see. It is so relaxing - almost Zen like. All you hear is your breathing and it is slower and deeper than normal. And the weightlessness is quite a feeling. They're right - you should give it a try.

 

[grassyknoll]

What I am trying to find out is basically why diving is so important to you, whether there is a set of shared values among divers and what kind of hierarchy, if any, exists within your community.

About the only shared value seems to be not dying.
It's important because it is a rewarding experience that only comes from applying education and a set of specialized skills-much like mountaineering, flying, skydiving etc...Technically anyone can do these without developing skills-intro to scuba/skydiving while strapped to an instructor/guided mountaineering/flying with an instructor in the next seat, but to do any well and with self reliance takes skill and education. This for me is a large part of the attraction.
You want to market something? Try making something:
That won't get bashed by any of the groups (that's for rec divers/tec divers/DIR divers blah, blah, blah).
That you can buy on-line and get full warranty.
That doesn't have to be inspected/rebuilt/serviced anually.
That I won't see for half what I paid when next years model comes out (and the only change is a plastic cover).
That won't make me post in the "What do you regret buying" thread.

Gooooooood luck.

 

[photohikedive]

I am dissapointed to see how many people posted, just to show how unfriendly they could be. Let me see if I can take a stab at this....

What I am trying to find out is basically why diving is so important to you,

I am going to get in trouble for this, but scuba isn't that important to me. It is a very enjoyable hobby. It makes for an excellent stress reliever. When my underwater camera is working, it is an additional opportunity for me to extend my phototgraphy.

whether there is a set of shared values among divers

I would guess that the most prevelant shared value is diver safety. Most divers are quick to point out if another diver is acting in an unsafe manor. Few divers will dive with a diver, or a dive outfit that is deemed unsafe. A close second would be marine preservation. Obviously, if there is nothing to see while diving, it wouldn't hold the same appeal.

and what kind of hierarchy, if any, exists within your community.

I am not sure what the hierarchy there is. There are certainly different degrees. At one end of the spectrum you have the casual recreational diver like myself. Weekends and hollidays during comfortable conditions are our favorite times to dive. Dive gear can be "yard sale specials" or whatever the guy at the dive shop picked out for them. Warm water, and nice visibility are our preferred medium. At the other end, you have the die hard Tech Diver. This type of diver pushes themselves to the limits. They train extensively to dive in some of the most dangerous and extreme conditions. Their gear can costs more than your average car.

As a non-diver I would appreciate any input which may help me with my research.

Please share any diving stories (like good trips, friends met along the way, accidents etc) as well as what kind of things establish a bond between you and your diving buddies. Any other bits of information you would like to share will be helpful.

Thanks for your help

as for the dive stories... I hate to sound like some of the people on here, but in this it would be best to read some of the dive stories already posted.

unlike some, I will post the links to some stories, I know about that might be what you are looking for.

I am a fairly recent translplant to the northwest FL area, and found the divers here to be friendly and acomodating. SeaYoda will take anyone under his wing, and show them all the "secret" dive spots, and parking techniques. kchFLA will invite you over, and feed you excellently home cooked meals. SuPrBuGmAn will show you murky water shipwrecks, if you dare brave the dark cold waters he likes. Mike_S will, well, he'll try to get you in trouble with his parking style. GlenFWB, well, I am not sure what diving related characteristic I can relate, but, if you need a puppy, he is the man to see. WaywardSon will show you the ropes in spearfishing, and you might get invited to crash a club picnic while you're at it. Baydive20 will likely run by you whispering taunting things. PerroneFord, will keep you interested with tales of cave diving, while answering any questions you throw at him. All these characters and more make up the dive community that I have been welcomed into. None of which I would have likely met, if it wasn't for this scuba forum, ScubaBoard.


http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=170674

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=169785

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=165729

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=167165

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=165336

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=162657

 

[NorCalDawg]

What I am trying to find out is basically why diving is so important to you

I dive to explore the only place on earth where I can venture and the signs of humanity remain untouched on the landscape. I dive because it is truly an "escape" from our everyday lives, in the very essence of the word escape. I dive to experience the surreal, weightlessness in an environment that many will only see on their TV's or in photos. I dive because short of space, the ocean is the only frontier left to explore.


That and chicks think divers are super cool:14:

 

[Quarrior]

To me there are two types of divers. Those who were hooked on it long before they ever tried it and those who got hooked on it after they tried it.

It's kind of like what Harley Riders say, "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand."

For me the hook is the peace and quiet. No stress. Swimming with Sharks on my first dive after cert definately got my attention in a good way. Having fish swim up to your mask and just hang out right in front of your eyes.

Just way to many things to list.